About Nick DiGiovanni
Before fame
Raised in Barrington, Rhode Island, DiGiovanni grew up surrounded by family cooking traditions and New England seafood. His paternal grandmother, Helga, helped inspire his interest in food, and he began experimenting in the kitchen as a child, including making lemon meringue pie.
He attended Milton Academy before enrolling at Harvard University in 2015. There, he developed an individualized concentration in Food and Climate after taking a science-and-cooking course. He also gained professional kitchen experience at Waypoint in Cambridge and trained in acclaimed restaurants, including Benu in San Francisco.
During his senior year, he attended an open casting call for Season 10 of MasterChef. His third-place finish in the 2019 competition introduced him to a national television audience and helped launch his media career.
Trivia and noteworthy facts
He graduated from Harvard University in 2019 after developing a special concentration focused on food and climate.
He finished third on MasterChef Season 10, becoming the competition's youngest-ever finalist at age 22.
On November 23, 2021, he and Lynn "Lynja" Davis created a Guinness World Records cake pop weighing 44.24 kilograms (97 lb 8.52 oz).
His debut cookbook, Knife Drop: Creative Recipes Anyone Can Cook, was published in June 2023 and became a New York Times bestseller.
He appeared on TIME's inaugural TIME100 Creators list in 2025.
He launched the Nick's Kitchen YouTube channel in January 2025 to share accessible recipes and cooking tutorials.
Guinness World Records verified 35.7 million subscribers for his food-focused YouTube channel on March 30, 2026.
In June 2026, he became a judge alongside Alex Guarnaschelli on Food Network's cooking competition 100 Cooks.
Family life
Nick DiGiovanni has frequently credited his family with inspiring his passion for cooking. His mother, Sudie DiGiovanni, recalled how he watched relatives prepare food from an early age. His paternal grandmother, Helga, was especially influential and was known for preparing elaborate family holiday meals.
DiGiovanni is the eldest of four brothers. His three younger brothers have helped with his cooking interests, including catching seafood and gathering ingredients. One of his brothers, Peter, is an enthusiastic gardener.
DiGiovanni has also spoken about growing up with Italian and Persian culinary influences. These family traditions continue to influence his recipes and approach to food.
Associated with
Gordon Ramsay — MasterChef judge and collaborator on major cooking projects, including culinary world-record attempts.
Lynn Yamada Davis — Known as Lynja, the late food creator collaborated with DiGiovanni on record-breaking creations, including the world's largest cake pop.
Alex Guarnaschelli — Served alongside DiGiovanni as a judge on Food Network's 100 Cooks in 2026.
Terry Crews — Hosted 100 Cooks, where DiGiovanni served as a judge.
Tom Brady — Appeared in collaborative cooking content with DiGiovanni.
Selena Gomez — Has collaborated with DiGiovanni on food-related video content.
